No one knows. Rest assured, however, that it is “not normal,” according to one aviation reporter who knows about such things.

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We have an email in to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, which has a bunch of C-130s, and will update with our findings.

UPDATE: Aviation blogger Jason Rabinowitz thinks it may be from a local Air National Guard rescue team, based out of a small airport 80 miles east of New York City:

We’ve left a message with the 102nd Rescue Squadron and 106th Rescue Wing and will update with more information as we have it.

Our national nightmare is not yet entirely over.

UPDATE #2: Apparently the 106th has confirmed that the C-130 is indeed one of theirs:

While Colonel Broccoli has not gotten back to us personally – despite our calls, emails, and tweets (even tweets!) – Joint Base McGuire did get back to us, and is saying that the C-130 isn’t theirs. I think it’s safe to declare this one over.